


A Chance Encounter

by pierrot



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-11 02:09:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11704629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pierrot/pseuds/pierrot
Summary: Nino runs into a familiar face at the supermarket.





	A Chance Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> Short and silly Aimiya fluff because that's been my mood lately.

It’s a little difficult for Nino to keep steady on his feet when he collides with the back of a lanky figure hunched over a display of melons in the grocery store, but he manages not to falter. He continues walking as though he didn’t just bump into someone rather forcefully, eyes fixed ahead and face blank.  
  
“Huh--Nino?” he hears from behind him, a familiar voice that makes the corners of his mouth twitch for a split second. “Nino!”  
  
Nino doesn’t respond. He pauses where he is, reaching for the bananas on the shelf beside him as though fascinated by them, and spares no glance over his shoulder. He's not at all interested in buying any bananas, but that doesn't matter. Mere seconds later, a hand tugging at his arm forces his attention back towards the person he’s been putting on a show to ignore.  
  
Aiba’s expression is highly indignant when Nino turns to face him. “Nino!” he exclaims, apparently not caring to hush his voice despite them being in a public place. Aiba has a cap pulled low over his forehead and a face mask dangling around his neck, but if the disguise had been working before, it surely isn’t now. “Why did you ignore me?” he says, pointing a finger accusingly at Nino’s chest.  
  
Nino shrugs and suppresses a smile, keeping his blank mask in place. “Isn’t that the best way to deal with stalkers?”  
  
“I’m not a stalker!”  
  
“Are you sure? Because I feel like you keep showing up everywhere I go lately.”  
  
Aiba smacks his arm. “You know that’s just because we live in the same neighbourhood.”  
  
“Unfortunately.”  
  
“Hey! I was the one who moved here first. If anything, I should accuse you of stalking me.”  
  
Nino wrinkles his nose. “Don’t say such creepy things.”  
  
“Shut up,” Aiba says, and Nino grins. He resumes walking through the supermarket aisles, this time with Aiba in tow. Aiba keeps a hand wrapped loosely around Nino’s elbow, and Nino doesn’t try to dislodge it.  
  
“What are you buying?” Aiba asks, pressing closer to Nino as he peers over his shoulder.  
  
“Nothing.” Nino has to stoop slightly to reach the boxes of curry mix, and Aiba’s warmth curls over his back, breath touching the side of his neck.  
  
“Dinner? You shouldn’t buy that one, this type is better.”  
  
“Don’t be bossy,” Nino says, but he lets Aiba replace the box in his hand with one of his own choosing.  
  
They continue in that fashion as they make their way through the supermarket, Aiba commenting on all of Nino’s shopping choices and making his own additions despite Nino’s protests. By the time they reach the checkout counter, Nino’s basket is annoyingly heavy, and Aiba’s is similarly full. Once Nino’s finished unpacking his basket, he turns to Aiba and tugs his basket from his hands so he can add Aiba’s groceries to his own.  
  
When Nino glances up, the shop assistant is looking at him.  
  
“Um,” she says, and Nino automatically flashes her his least sincere smile.  
  
“I’ll be paying for all of this,” he says.  
  
She nods and returns to bagging his groceries, not daring to meet his eyes again. Aiba’s already wandered off to examine the contents of a magazine rack nearby, so he misses the exchange. Nino doesn’t think the shop assistant failed to notice him; he’s sure she knows exactly who they are.  
  
He’s not too worried. He picks up a bar of chocolate from the rack beside the counter, and after the shop assistant scans the barcode, he stops her from adding it to his bags.  
  
“For you,” he says with a smile, more charming than the last. “You must be tired working so late.”  
  
He concludes the exchange with a wink, hiding his laugh at the way her eyes widen, mouth falling open in surprise. There are definite advantages to having a reputation as a stingy hermit. After all, who is going to believe a story of Arashi’s Ninomiya Kazunari buying Aiba Masaki’s groceries and flirting with a random shop assistant?  
  
Nino shoves his wallet back into his pocket and picks up one of the shopping bags, leaving Aiba to take care of the rest. It’s the least he can do for taking advantage of Nino’s generosity.  
  
  
\--  
  
  
“Are we having curry tonight?” Aiba asks during the short walk back to Nino’s apartment.  
  
“Who said you’re staying for dinner?”  
  
“You don’t have to work early tomorrow, do you? I feel like drinking.”  
  
Nino glances across at him. “You don’t have work?”  
  
Aiba grins. “Nope. I have the whole morning off.”  
  
At that, Nino’s lips curl into an understanding smile, and he holds Aiba’s gaze. “How fortunate,” he says.  
  
“Isn’t it?”  
  
They unpack the groceries in Nino’s kitchen, not bothering to mark any distinction between what belongs to Nino and what belongs to Aiba. There’s no need; Aiba can take what he wants later when he leaves--if he remembers, that is, and Nino won’t be surprised if he doesn’t.  
  
Between them, they make short work of dinner preparations. Meat and vegetables are left in a pot with water to simmer, and the rice cooker is already starting to steam. Nino rinses a chopping board in the sink and dries his hands with a tea towel.  
  
“I’m going to have a shower,” he says to Aiba, dropping the tea towel on the counter. “Don’t do anything strange to the curry while I’m gone.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah,” Aiba says, waving him off. Nino catches his gaze for a second before turning away. Aiba smiles at him from over his beer.  
  
Perhaps Nino should be more surprised when he hears the bathroom door open mere seconds after he’s stepped into the shower. He can’t say he expected the intrusion, but he knows Aiba too well to be easily taken off guard. He takes a small step back and tilts his head away from the blast of the shower spray.  
  
“What are you doing?” he says without turning around to look at Aiba.  
  
His question is met by the noise of a zip and clothes crumpling to the floor.  
  
“Joining you,” is Aiba’s easy reply.  
  
The shower door opens and the air behind Nino shifts, announcing the arrival of a new presence. Nino turns just as Aiba reaches him.  
  
“The curry will burn,” he reminds Aiba.  
  
“I turned the stove off. Don’t worry.”  
  
Aiba nudges him out of the way so he can drench his head under the spray of the shower. Nino watches him for a couple of seconds before deciding to reclaim his spot. Aiba has a way of moving as he wishes, even naked in someone else’s shower he’s completely assured, but Nino has no intention of giving up his space. Being around Aiba always brings out his fighting spirit. They jostle for prime position as they clean themselves, hips bumping and fingers grazing skin more often than necessary.  
  
Their tussle ends predictably, with Nino backed against one wall of the shower, body shaking with laughter as Aiba kisses his face and licks the moisture off his skin. The position forces Nino completely out of the water spray. His skin is exposed and rapidly cooling, and his only relief comes from Aiba’s warmth enveloping him.  
  
He doesn’t find himself wanting to move.  
  
Aiba reaches for Nino’s hand, still holding onto a washcloth. “Do you want me to wash your back?” Aiba asks, tugging gently at Nino’s fingers.  
  
“No.”  
  
Nino reaches past Aiba and turns off the shower.  
  
They’re left with only the sounds of their panted breaths and the gurgle of the drain emptying. Aiba’s hand remains wrapped around Nino’s, his other hand resting on Nino’s hip. He’s shifted back enough for Nino to be able to examine his face properly, and Nino takes in how Aiba’s wet hair is plastered to his forehead, the drops of water falling from his chin, the sparkle of amusement in his eyes that only Nino can understand.  
  
Aiba looks at Nino, and Nino arches back slightly.  
  
“See?” Nino says. “You really are a stalker. First you follow me to the supermarket, then home, and now in my shower. What’s next? Going to follow me into my bed?”  
  
Aiba grins. “Is that a request?”  
  
“I doubt I have any pyjamas that will fit you.”  
  
“I don’t think I’ll need them.”  
  
They’re about half a second from kissing--Nino can feel the anticipation prickling his fingertips--when an unexpected noise interrupts them.  
  
Aiba freezes, expression turning sheepish, and Nino laughs.  
  
“You really know how to ruin a moment.”  
  
“It’s late!” protests Aiba with a pout. “I was busy today and I didn’t have enough time to eat.”  
  
“Stupid. If you were so hungry, you shouldn’t have abandoned dinner.”  
  
“You didn’t play fair, leaving me alone like that.”  
  
Nino makes an exasperated face and pushes Aiba back--gently, though; he doesn’t want Aiba to slip.  
  
“Dinner. Now.”  
  
“And we’ll continue this later?” Aiba asks, ever hopeful. Though rather than hopefulness, there’s confidence in the way he looks at Nino, already certain of what Nino will want.  
  
“Maybe.”  
  
Aiba laughs and steps out of the shower. He grabs the nearest towel off the rack, but instead of using it on himself, he drapes it around Nino’s shoulders and pulls him closer. Nino lets himself be pulled, and he lets Aiba rub the material over his sopping hair. Aiba’s a little rough, but Nino makes no complaints.  
  
“You’re cute,” Aiba says, squeezing the sides of Nino’s face between the towel.  
  
Nino scowls. “You’re annoying.”  
  
“Don’t be shy,” Aiba says with a grin. Aiba’s fast when he wants to be, and in the blink of an eye, he darts forward to plant a quick peck to the tip of Nino’s nose.  
  
Nino can move fast as well. Before Aiba can straighten, he grabs Aiba’s arm and surges forward to capture his lips. The kiss is more to prove a point than anything else, but when Nino pulls back, Aiba’s smile is wide.  
  
“Not shy,” Nino says.  
  
Aiba looks down pointedly. “Obviously not.”  
  
With perfect timing, Aiba’s stomach chooses that moment to growl again.  
  
“Oops,” Aiba says.  
  
He can’t help but giggle, and Nino smiles fondly in return even as he rolls his eyes and moves away from Aiba’s hold. There’s a clean, spare towel in the laundry basket on the other side of the bathroom. Nino pulls it out and tosses it to Aiba. “No more distractions. You need to eat, and we still have to finish cooking dinner.”  
  
“Okay,” Aiba replies.  
  
Barely a moment later, Nino feels a heavy weight pressing against his back and long arms wrapping around his waist.  
  
“Thank you for having me over,” Aiba says, affectionate and sincere.  
  
Nino could scold him for providing yet another distraction despite his promise, but he doesn’t. Instead, he relaxes into Aiba’s arms and lets the comforting warmth overtake him. A few seconds like this won’t hurt.  
  
“Of course,” he says. “You know you're always welcome here.”  
  
Aiba buries his face closer to Nino's neck and replies, "There's no better place to be."


End file.
